Opening one's heart again
by Hypnotoad76
Summary: Emma adopts a kitten and Regina doesn't want one, but for a different reason then one would think. Established Regina and Emma relationship.


Emma frowned as she pulled the bug up to the police station, seeing Belle standing in front of the building. She got out of her car and went over to the woman, where she saw she was holding a squirming kitten in her hands. "Hey. What have you got there?"

"Apparently someone left a box of kittens here last night. David called the animal shelter, and since I was there anyway I came over to see them. Aren't they the cutest little things ever?"

Emma looked into the box, seeing only one kitten in there. "So there are only two of them?"

"There were three originally. But Hansel and Gretel were walking by with their father and adopted one. And…I guess I'm adopting this little fella," Belle stated at the kitten in her arms.

Emma looked into the box at the last remaining kitten. It was small with orange and white fur, looking like a tiger cub without any stripes. Tentatively she scooped up the kitten and looked at it. "It is cute," she said, grinning as it meowed. "And it would be nice to have a pet. Okay, sure, I'll take this one."

"You think Regina will mind?" Belle asked seriously.

"Sure, she'll be fine with it," Emma said, even though she had no evidence to back her claim up. "I'll see you later."

"Good luck," Belle called out.

David looked up from his desk as his daughter came in with a kitten. "I see you've found the box of critters outside."

"Critters? There kittens, not varmints. Isn't he adorable?"

"He's cute," David said as he got up and moved back as his daughter approached him. "But I'm allergic to cats, so if you could please…" he said as a loud sneeze cut off his sentence.

"Don't worry. I'll keep him away from you until I can bring him to the mansion."

"So you're keeping him," David asked tentatively. "Have you asked Regina about this?"

"Why is everyone so concerned with how Regina will act? She's not the Evil Queen anymore."

"Yeah. But somehow I don't see her reacting that great to animals in her house."

"Well I think you're wrong and she's going to love him," Emma said reassuringly.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Emma!" Regina called out as she came home from work.

"In here," Emma called from the living room.

"Henry's going to a sleepover tonight, so it will just be us-." she said before stopping abruptly at seeing her girlfriend sitting on the floor with a kitten in front of her. "What is that?"

"There was a box of kittens outside the station and I decided to adopt one." She got up and picked up the kitten, walking over to Regina. "Isn't he adorable? I'm thinking of naming him Simon."

"Get him out of here," Regina said in a low voice.

"What?" Emma said, hoping she had misheard her.

"Do I have to repeat myself Emma? I said get that thing out of here."

"Gina, come on. If you'll just give him a chance-"

"I don't want a cat in this house," she said dangerously. "Call the shelter, find it a home, let it run wild for all I care. Just get rid of it right now." With that she stormed out of the living room, leaving a confused Emma in her wake.

After making a call Emma went in search of Regina. She tried their bedroom first and made her way down the hall when she saw light coming from Regina's study. She opened the door where she found the Mayor sitting at her desk. "I called the shelter, but they're closed for the night." She made her way over when she noticed a picture frame in Regina's hands. She walked around to get a better look, seeing it was a photo of Regina holding a cat in her hands. That Regina looked about the same as she did now, save for her hair being a bit shorter then it currently was. The cat in the picture looked like a grown up version of Simon, except it had black markings on its face and forehead. The Regina in the photograph was smiling openly in a way she only allowed herself to do for two people; her son and her girlfriend.

Glancing up at Emma Regina put the picture down as she decided to explain herself. "When the curse first brought me here I was happy seeing everyone miserable. But after a while I felt as lonely as everyone else. One day I went outside the town and ended up coming across a man on the side of the road who was selling kittens. When I looked at them I sensed something about this one particular kitten, and adopted her. I named her Cleo and we were practically inseparable." She smiled at the memory of her feline companion. "I would take her into work and she would bat at the phone cord when I was taking calls. And when I went to Grannies to get dinner I would always get the tuna dish to go so we could both eat here together."

Emma grinned at that memory before seeing Regina's smile vanished. "When Cleo was eight she developed problems with her kidneys. I brought her to the vet and got her medicine but it didn't help. She…she died soon afterwards." Her voice choked up as she quickly wiped tears from her eyes. "It was one of the hardest things I've gone through here, and after she was gone I felt more alone than ever. It wasn't until I adopted Henry that the loneliness started to lessen."

"Oh Regina," Emma said as she hugged her girlfriend. "I'm sorry, I had no idea. I understand if it's too hard for you to have another cat. If you want I can call Belle and see if she'll take him for the night. She might even be persuaded to take it in so her cat can have a companion."

"You don't have to do that. He can stay here tonight. But I want him gone tomorrow."

"Oh course, I'll bring him to the shelter first thing on my way to work." She kissed Regina before taking a step back. "I'm going to Grannies to get some dinner. You want your usual?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Okay. I'll be back in a little bit."

Regina sat there as Emma left to get them food before putting the picture back in the bottom drawer of her desk. She left the room and went to her and Emma's bedroom, carefully removing her shoes before lying on top of the made bed. She opened her book from where she had left off and began to read when she heard the bedroom door inch open. She looked down and saw Simon standing by the bed looking at her. "Go away," she said as she waved her hand. She went back to her book when she heard soft meowing. "Emma will be back soon, wait for her outside please."

Suddenly she felt a light thud right next to her. She looked down in surprise as she realized the kitten had managed to jump up on top of the bed. With a heavy sigh Regina put down her book and picked up Simon. "Listen," she said to the animal. "I know you are cute, but I'm not going to get attached to you. I had a cat once that I loved very dearly. And losing her was extremely painful for me. I won't put myself through that again. So I'm sorry, but I'd like you to leave me alone please."

She looked at the kitten when it suddenly batted at her nose lightly. She gasped in surprise as it meowed. "Stop being cute. I'm not keeping you." She put it down on the bed where the kitten pawed at her pants leg and rubbed its head against her. Almost against her will Regina began scratching Simon's head, her heart melting as he began to purr.

When Emma returned with dinner she went to their bedroom, where to her surprise she found Regina playing with Simon. "Does this mean you've reconsidered?"

"It would seem he won me over," Regina admitted. She took Emma's hand as her girlfriend sat next to her, the two of them playing with the newest member of their family.


End file.
